Princess and Evil Spawn
by rissa4106
Summary: A series of Jolex one-shots that take place after 9x24 Perfect Storm. Features some other pairings and characters too. Requests are welcome. Rated T just in case.
1. Giving Thanks: 2015

**_November 26_****_th_****_ 2015_**

"Do I look okay?" Jo asked Alex for what had to be the fifth time since they'd rang the doorbell to Meredith and Derek's house.

"You look hot," Alex assured her.

Jo smiled and rolled her eyes. "You know that's not what I meant." She said as she made sure her top was flowing away from her body like it was supposed to.

"Well, you do look hot." Alex said, pulling her in for a quick kiss. Though apparently not quick enough.

"Ahem," Meredith said from the doorway, and Alex and Jo pulled apart when they realized they weren't alone. Their friend smiled. "Happy Thanksgiving! Come on in."

Jo had come to all of the Grey-Shepherd family Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas parties and other events since she started dating Alex over two years ago. Though, tonight was different, and not just because it was her first holiday meal as Alex's wife and not his girlfriend.

"Hey Evil Spawn, Wilson," Cristina greeted them as they walked inside. She was sitting on the couch, while next to her Owen was playing dolls with Zola and holding Bailey.

"Hey, Queen of Evil, Owen," Alex replied.

"Uncle Alex! Aunt Jo!" Zola cried happily, excited to see two of her favorite aunts and uncles.

"Hey Zozo," Jo said, giving her and Bailey a quick kiss on both of their foreheads before heading into the kitchen.

"Turkey will be a few more minutes," Derek said, checking the oven before turning to address his latest guests. "Happy Thanksgiving, you guys."

"Anybody want some wine while we wait?" Meredith asked.

"Sure," Alex said.

"Jo?"

"No thanks," Jo answered, sitting down at the kitchen table. Meredith did the same.

Jo felt a light tug on her shirt, and when she turned around she saw Bailey. "Aunt Jo! Up!" He said. Jo smiled and pulled the little boy into her lap.

"Hey, Bay," She said to him. "Are you having a good Thanksgiving?"

"Yes!" Bailey replied. "Watched parade!"

"You watched the parade?" Jo said and Bailey nodded. "Wow! Did you like it?"

"Yeah!" Bailey said. "There turkey and pill-grums and Santa came!"

Jo's mouth dropped open. "Whoa, really? That's so awesome, Bailey!"

"Christmas soon!" Bailey said happily.

"Just a few more months Bay," Jo told him. "I'm sure Santa's going to bring you lots and lots of cool presents."

Meredith smiled watching her son and Jo. "You're really great with him," Meredith told her. "Are you and Alex thinking about having any kids soon?" Jo smiled at Alex, who was smiling back, having been listening to their conversation, and shrugged.

"Dinner's ready everybody," Derek said. "If you guys all want to go into the dining room."

"Thank God," Cristina said as she, Owen and Zola got up off the couch. "I'm starving."

"Bay can sit next to me, right?" Zola asked Meredith.

"Of course, Zo," Meredith said. "Just let me get his booster seat." Jo handed Bailey back to his mother, while Alex walked over to her.

"Ready?" He asked.

Jo nodded. "Yup. Let's get this show on the road."

* * *

"Okay, so, before we start," Meredith said once everyone was seated at the table with their food. "Let's all go around and say what we're thankful for."

There was a collective groan. "Seriously, Mer?" Cristina said. "God, we're all hungry, can't we just eat?"

"It's Thanksgiving," Owen said, one of the only ones on Meredith's side. "It's kind of the whole point of the holiday."

Cristina scowled at him. "Let me guess – your family said what they were thankful for every Thanksgiving growing up?"

Meredith smiled. "Thank you, Owen." She said. "I'll go first – I'm thankful for my wonderful husband, my great friends, and my two adorable kids." She looked to Bailey and Zola. "Anything you guys want to say?"

"Mama and Daddy!" Bailey cried. Everyone laughed.

"I'm thankful for Mommy and Daddy too, Bay." Zola said. "And you, and Uncle Alex and Aunt Jo and Aunt Cristina and Uncle Owen. Ooh, and all my toys!"

"That's a good list, Zo," Meredith said. "Derek?"

"I'm thankful for my family, my friends, and of course my job." Derek answered.

Now, it was Alex's turn. "Alex?" Meredith prompted.

The Karev's exchanged a look. "I'm thankful for my wife and baby." Alex said, and they waited for everyone to realize what this meant.

Meredith caught on first, and her jaw dropped. "That's why you didn't want any wine!" Quickly, everyone else realized too. "No way!" Cristina gasped. "You?" Jo smiled and nodded.

"Congratulations!" Owen said.

"That's really great, you two." Derek added.

"Thank you," Alex and Jo replied, almost simultaneously.

"How far along are you?" Meredith asked excitedly.

"14 weeks," Jo answered.

"Daddy," Zola said to Derek, since she was next to him. "Why is everyone so happy?"

"Because Zozo," Derek explained. "Uncle Alex and Aunt Jo are going to have a baby, and we're excited for them."

Zola got the biggest smile on her face when Derek told her this. "Baby?" Bailey asked curiously from his booster seat.

"Yes Bailey, baby!" Meredith said to him. She was also visibly excited as she turned to Alex and Jo. "I can't believe you guys are having a baby! This is so exciting! Alex is going to be a dad, can you believe it?"

"A little baby Evil Spawn!" Cristina said. "Ooh, I'm excited!"

"You are _not_ calling my kid Evil Spawn," Alex told her. Cristina smirked.

"I'm excited for Uncle Alex and Aunt Jo's baby too!" Zola said. She couldn't wait to have a little cousin for her and Bailey to play with.

"I think we're all pretty excited, Zo." Owen said with a smile.

"See?" Meredith said to Cristina, still unable to contain her grin. "Aren't you glad we gave thanks now?" Her best friend rolled her eyes in a good-natured way.

"Well, let's toast," Derek said, holding up his wine glass. Meredith, Cristina, Owen and Alex did the same, while Jo raised her glass of water, and Zola shot her cup of milk into the air, accidentally sloshing a little bit over the sides and onto the tablecloth. "To giving thanks."

"To giving thanks!" They all clinked their glasses together, even Zola showed Bailey how to tap his cup against hers. "Now let's eat!"

As everyone picked up their forks, Alex and Jo exchanged a look. It was nice to finally be able to tell their friends they were having a baby. Jo's hand dropped to her tiny bump, where it stayed for most of the night.

* * *

**So, I've always really liked Alex. And after the whole Izzie thing, I really wanted Alex to be happy. When Jo came along, I loved them together instantly. There just aren't enough Jolex fics out there to satisfy me, so I decided that I'd try and give writing a shot. I'm not really confident in my writing ability, but I hope you enjoyed this at least a little bit. **

**I decided to just start off with something fluffy, hence this chapter. The one-shots will all take place in the same world (I guess you could call it that, IDK) but won't be in any specific order. If you have any requests, any at all, I will try my best to oblige. I only have so many ideas, so suggestions are very much welcome. **

**Finally, while I have watched a lot, I haven't watched every single episode of Grey's Anatomy. All of this medical info and jargon is pretty new to me. If I mess something up let me know and I'll fix it. Thanks! **


	2. Cristina Finds Out: 2013

_I'm glad to see people like this! Here's another chapter. Hope you enjoy._

* * *

**June 14****th**** 2013**

Cristina had had a hard shift. She'd hardly been able to stop moving the entire night, and even with all the caffeine in her system she could barely keep her eyes open. And to top it all off, one of her patients had a stroke on the table, and she'd had to let him go. But she was home now – Owen had let her off her shift a little early. She was thankful – all Cristina wanted to do was go to sleep.

After kicking off her shoes, she started towards the stairs so she could get some much needed shut eye. When Cristina reached the top of the stairs, she stopped, taking in the scene. Clothes littered the hallway, pants, tops, socks and shoes. Some of the clothes obviously did not belong to Alex, as they were clearly made for females – a purple T-shirt, a pair of jeans, two women's sneakers that had been discarded. And then, there was the piece de resistance – a white bra hanging from the doorknob of Karev's room. Nice. Classic booty call.

Cristina couldn't help but wonder who his new skank of the week was. She walked over to the door and pressed her ear up against it. There was a moaning and some erotic screaming, followed by a big finish, and then kissing noises and panting. Cristina had to hold back laughter as she listened. She began to wonder who the "lucky" girl was this time. "Oh, Alex…" Cristina literally reeled back from the door when she recognized the voice, before bursting in without thinking. Alex and Jo were both startled when she entered suddenly, turning to stare at her with shocked expressions while simultaneously covering themselves up with the sheets at the same time. "Wilson?!"

"Dr. Yang," Jo said, trying to catch her breath, but Cristina couldn't tell if that was from the shock, the amorous activities her and Alex had been engaging in (wink, wink), or both.

"You weren't supposed to be home for another two hours," Alex said.

"I had a bad day, my patient died," Cristina replied. "And I was tired, so I came home. Though I don't know if I'll be able to sleep after this…This was an image I will _never_ be able to unsee. I'll have to bleach my brain."

Jo looked down at the blanket, feeling absolutely mortified to having been caught in bed with her boss by her other boss. She knew everyone would find out eventually but…not like this. "_Cristina_," Alex hissed in warning before he totally lost his cool. "Get out."

"Oh come on –" She began teasingly.

"Get out of here Cristina!"

Cristina backed out of the room with her hands in the air and shut the bedroom door before she started laughing.

* * *

After putting their clothes back on, Alex and Jo came downstairs. Jo headed towards the door, but she stopped and turned back around after she opened it. "I'll see you tomorrow,"

"Yeah," Alex agreed. They stood there for a moment in awkward silence before he kissed her and she left.

When Alex walked into the kitchen, Cristina was there waiting for him, holding a cup of coffee in her hands and smirking at him. "Wipe that look off your face," Alex snapped at her, which only made Cristina smirk more. "And don't say anything, because I've had to listen to you and Owen many, many times."

"I have to say – I'm surprised." Cristina said. "I mean, I know I shouldn't be but…" She shrugged. "I never pictured you using Wilson for sex. She never seemed like a prime candidate for whore of the moment to me."

"Jo's different, okay?" Alex said. He didn't say it annoyed, or defensively, and somehow, Cristina just knew he meant it when he said it. "She's more than just some random chick."

"You really like her, don't you?" She asked, her eyebrow raising slightly. And honestly, she wasn't surprised by his answer. Actually, a small part of Cristina Yang had been predicting this the whole time.

Alex nodded. "Yeah."

Cristina shook her head. "Wait until I tell Mer," She told him with a grin. "It's just her and I have been talking about whether or not we thought you two would get together since day one. She's gonna_ flip_."

Alex shrugged. "Well, if you want to deal with the happy and excitable Mer, I've got no problem with that. Now I don't have to do it."

"Oh please – we all know as soon as I tell her she's going to hunt you down and hug you and start bombarding you with questions."

Alex half-smiled at the mental image. There was a pause, and Cristina decided to press her luck and ask the big, big question. "Do you…do you love her? Jo, I mean?"

Alex looked down and then nodded. "Yeah," He replied. "I do."


	3. Baby Steps: 2017

_Since several people asked for it, I'll do Jo telling Alex she loves him next. But I decided to do something a little farther into the future because I don't like doing the same year back to back. _

_Oh yeah, and I don't own Grey's Anatomy, in case you were wondering. If I did not nearly as many people would be dead._

* * *

**February 14****th****, 2017**

Alex and Jo hadn't expected to be doing anything for Valentine's Day this year. After all, they were parents now. The two of them would've perfectly been okay with staying at home with their son, eating dinner and watching TV, and squeezing in a little Mommy and Daddy time after they put the baby to bed.

Though, Jackson and April – well, mostly April – had volunteered at the last minute to babysit on Valentine's Day so they could go to dinner. "One of us should get to go out, and the boys can play together." April had explained to Jo. She'd followed her around during her post-ops, talking about her so called perfect plan. "It could be like a tradition. Next year you could watch Lucas while Jackson and I go out, and so on. It's a good idea right?"

"I don't know, April." Jo had replied while she checked on an eight year old who had just had an appendectomy. "Don't you want to go out and do something?"

"It's really no problem," April had insisted. "Really."

And that's what had lead to Jo agreeing to let Jackson and April babysit tonight. Alex had been on board with the idea, and booked them a reservation at a restaurant. Jo had put on a dress she hadn't worn since pre-pregnancy, and she had no doubt her husband would love it (then again, he thought she looked great no matter what she wore, whether it was anything from her wedding dress to scrubs).

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jo asked Jackson and April while they waited for Alex on the evening of February 14th. He'd gotten off his shift slightly later than Jo had, and therefore was still getting ready. Jo looked again into the living room, where Zack was playing with Lucas. When he saw his mommy, he smiled widely, showing off the few teeth that had begun to poke out of his gums.

"We told you, it's fine," Jackson said, bringing Jo's attention back to the conversation.

"He's been trying to stand up recently," Jo said. "You don't think he'll walk while we're gone, do you?"

"Relax," Jackson replied. "These things take time. Lucas didn't start walking until weeks after he first stood, and even now he barely does. Zack won't be up and running around while you're gone."

Jo sighed and nodded. Honestly, she wasn't just unsure about tonight because she was worried about ruining Jackson and April's Valentine's Day. That was the least of her concerns. While she was excited to have some one-on-one time with Alex, a part of her felt bad leaving Zack for the whole night. Sure, her son liked Uncle Jackson and Aunt April and loved spending time with Lucas, but Jo was his mother, and so she had every reason to feel this way about leaving him. Zack was her baby boy.

Alex came down the stairs now, dressed for dinner. "Hey," He said to his wife. "You look amazing." Even though she knew he was going to say it, Jo still smiled and kissed him. April grinned at them.

"Okay, you guys have to get going." She said, practically shoving the two out the door. "Have a good night tonight, okay? And don't talk about baby stuff. Just enjoy each other."

"Call us if anything happens," Jo said. April had now backed her and Alex up onto the porch, while she and Jackson stood in the doorway. "If anything goes wrong, or – or he even looks like he might start walking, call me and we'll be right over, okay? There's some breast milk in the fridge, because he still takes it in the morning and before bed, but give him solid food for dinner since he's being weaned, okay? He likes bananas, and – and Cheerio's. And juice, he likes juice. If he wakes up wanting to nurse I think there's formula but he doesn't normally do that so…"

"We've got it," April cut her off. "Don't worry about a thing."

Jo looked to Alex – who seemed much calmer than her – while Jackson wrapped his arm around April's shoulder, and they exchanged a smile. "It's no problem." Jackson said. "Have fun."

* * *

Less than twenty minutes later, Alex and Jo were seated at the restaurant, sipping their drinks as the waiter left after taking their orders – no wine, since Jo was still breastfeeding twice a day. The two looked at each other, thinking about what to say. They were together at work for most of the day, and then came home and took care of Zack. It's not like there was anything new in either of their lives that the other didn't know about. They hardly even had different cases at work since they both worked in peds, and if they did the other probably heard about it before the other could say anything.

"So…" Alex began. "You look _really_ hot tonight."

Jo smiled. "You look very good yourself." There was a pause, each one unsure of what to say next that didn't involve work or the baby or ripping each other's clothes off in the middle of the restaurant. Finally, Jo couldn't help herself. "Did I tell you that Zack stood up today without holding onto anything?"

Alex grinned when she said this. "He did?"

Jo nodded. "He didn't take a step, he just sort of plopped back down, but I think he's really close."

"That's great."

There was another awkward pause, and then Jo sighed. "I miss him."

"Me too," Alex admitted. "I mean, I know it's Valentine's Day…"

"…But we both just really want to be home with our son," Jo finished for him. "Alex, let's go home."

Her husband nodded, before flagging down the waiter. Jo pulled out her phone and decided to call April's cell, but she only got her machine. She and Jackson were probably giving the boys dinner by now. Their big Valentine's Day date had only lasted half an hour.

But honestly, neither of them cared.

* * *

When Alex and Jo got home, they found Zack and Lucas sitting on the floor, awake but in their pajamas. Jackson and April didn't even hear them come in - they were currently making out on the couch, Jackson's arms around April and her leg wrapped against him as they kissed. Alex cleared his throat and they pulled apart, startled.

"God, Avery." He said. "Why do you always feel the need to make out on my couch?" He was referencing the time Jackson had done the same thing with Stephanie, while he and Jo had had to witness it.

"There are children present," Jo added teasingly.

"Don't worry, they're asle-" April began, but when she turned her head two pairs of baby eyes were staring at her and Jackson. "Oh. Well, they were asleep."

"Sorry we came home early," Jo said. "It just didn't feel right."

"We get it," Jackson said, standing, while April picked up Lucas, who looked like he was about to nod off again. "A couple of months ago we were you."

They all said goodbye and Jo apologized to April again, before the Avery's left. Now it was just Alex, Jo and Zack.

"Do you want some coffee?" Alex asked, while Jo sat down, avoiding where Jackson and April had been making out, and Zack continued to play with his toy.

"Sure," Jo replied. "Thanks for agreeing to cut our night short. I know you were looking forward to that date. I promise – once he's asleep – your understanding of the situation will be thoroughly awarded."

Alex smiled and then walked into the other room. "I missed him too." He called from the kitchen. "And at least we agreed to this at all. Baby steps."

Jo cast what was meant to be a quick glance at her son, but then her head immediately snapped back towards him. As if on cue, Zack had stood himself up again, having let go of the table. With a shaky foot, he took a single step forward, then stopped to admire his work. "Oh my God," Jo gasped. "Alex! Alex, come here!"

Alex was back in a second, not knowing if something was wrong. He found Jo leaning forward in her seat, while Zack took tentative steps towards her. "That's it, baby." Jo was saying, sounding happily surprised. "Come to Mommy."

She held out her arms and Alex watched in awe as Zack stumbled into them. Jo scooped him up and kissed his face. "Who's a big boy?"

"Good job, buddy." Alex said, still shocked, as he joined the two of them on the couch, coffee forgotten. Zack smiled, looking from one of them to the other, as if he was proud to have made both of his parents so happy.

Alex and Jo exchanged a smile, and Alex leaned closer to kiss wife and rub his son's tiny back. "Happy Valentine's Day," She said to him.

He really was the luckiest man alive.

* * *

_Aww, sweet fluff! The I love you's next time, I promise. Until then! _


	4. I Love You: 2013

_This was requested by both KiariWill and Guest. It's shorter than I would've liked but I hope this lives up to your expectations._

* * *

**June 1****st****, 2013**

Jo was twenty six hours into her shift, and she was extremely, extremely tired. She hadn't slept in over a day, and she was finding it hard to keep her eyes open by this point. She'd tried to get a nap in a few times, but before she could fall asleep she'd always get a page. By now she wanted to chuck the stupid thing at the wall. Maybe then it would stop going off.

Jo tried to stay awake as she did charts, but she felt like she was about to pass out. Her attention was diverted from her sleepiness and the papers when she heard the sound of Alex's voice, which quickly got her attention.

"What do you mean you don't have them? I told you to get those scans hours ago!" Her boyfriend was currently snapping at a nurse. "What the Hell is taking you so long? Hurry up! I need something to tell this kid's parents! Do not come back unless you have scans for me, got it?"

The nurse nodded, looking nervous and somewhat afraid, and then scurried off quickly to get those scans. Alex sighed and went back to the patient.

Alex and Jo had been seeing each other for almost three weeks, but they weren't going public until Jo took her intern exams, which were fastly approaching. (She was confident she was going to pass, especially with Alex's help studying.) Jo didn't doubt that her friends or Alex's would disapprove of their relationship, but she wanted to keep it quiet until she became a resident, because she knew there were some doctors at the hospital who would not be okay with an intern dating her boss. (Even though Meredith and Derek had done the same thing and they were currently married, some people were just stubborn.) Now, they only had a few more weeks to go, and then they could tell everyone. Jo couldn't wait.

Forgetting about the charts, Jo walked over and looked into the room, watching Alex with the patient. He was talking to the little boy – Jace, his name was – promising they'd find out what was going on soon. "And we're going to try our very, very best to make your pain go away, okay?" He finished.

Jace looked up at him. "And then no more ouchie?"

"No more ouchie," Alex confirmed, and Jace smiled slightly.

Jo smiled too. Yeah, sometimes Alex was a jerk, the kind of guy who yelled at nurses about scans, but he was her jerk, and there were these…_amazing_ other sides of him. The sides his patients and their families saw, or that he had around his friends, or the person he was when he was with her. The more of Alex she saw, the stronger her feelings for him became.

"Thank you, Dr. Karev." Jace's father said, while his wife ran a hand over her son's blonde hair.

Alex nodded. "Just doing my job, Mr. Marshall." He started out of the room, and Jo was about to reluctantly go back to her charts, but Alex looked up and saw her. "Hey, Wilson."

Jo turned back around and smiled at him. She really wanted to kiss him right now but she knew she couldn't, since they were at work. Maybe she'd ask him to meet her in an on call room later if her pager finally stopped beeping.

He walked closer to her, so she was looking him right in the eye. Jo knew she was supposed to control herself, but it was getting harder and harder by the second. She'd never felt the way she felt about him before, for anyone. And no one had ever felt the way about her that he did. This was what it felt like to be loved. God, she had to say it.

Jo couldn't keep the words in any longer. "I love you." She blurted out, and her boyfriend's grin widened. She loved him, and he loved her. They loved each other. It was one of the best things Jo had ever experienced.

"Love you too, princess." Alex replied, smirking.

Jo rolled her eyes. "Shut up, jerk."

"You love it." Alex said, his smile never faltering.

She smiled too. "Yeah, I do." Looking away, Jo checked her pager. It was silent. Finally. She put it back in its place, deciding the charts could wait just a little while longer. She had more important matters to attend to. "Do you have any patients right now?"

"They can wait."

"What about the scans?"

"Robbins can get them."

Jo smiled, and the couple discreetly made their way to an on call room. Jo climbed up on the bed while Alex locked the door. He grinned and made his way over.

They made out for five minutes before Jo passed out in his arms, fast asleep.

* * *

_I think I have an idea for the next chapter, but any additional requests are welcome, and I will do them to the best of my ability. Reviews are also appreciated. They really make my day!_


	5. Blast From The Past: 2014

_A person from Jo's past shows up in this chapter. Can you guess who?_

* * *

**March 22nd, 2014**

Jo was walking out of a patient's room when she was intercepted by Arizona. "Oh," She said, surprised. "Dr. Robbins, do you need something?"

"I have a patient in 207," Arizona said. "An eighteen month old with an umbilical hernia, the family is requesting you. So I'm giving you the case."

"Me?" Jo asked, confused. "I'm just a resident, with no particular precedence on the subject, why are they asking for me?"

Arizona gave her a knowing smile as she handed over the patient's chart. "See for yourself."

Jo walked towards the room, wondering what could possibly be going on. She stepped inside to find the little girl Arizona had mentioned, as well as a young couple who must've been her parents, and an older lady, who was sitting with her back to Jo. "Hello," Jo introduced herself. "I'm Dr. Wilson –"

Jo stopped speaking when the woman in the chair turned around. She smiled at her. "Nice to see you again, Jo."

Jo's broke out into a grin and excitedly hugged the older woman. "Ms. Schmitt! Oh my God!"

"You look good," Ms. Schmitt said, holding Jo at an arm's length so she could look her up and down. "And it seems you're doing very well for yourself."

"Well, I would never have made it here without you." Jo told her. "So thank you for that."

"You don't have to thank me," Her former teacher replied. "I just always knew you were meant to do great things, Jo."

They were interrupted when someone walked into the room. "Alex," Jo said, seeing him enter.

"Hey," Alex replied. "Robbins told me I had to come here. Something wrong?"

"No," Jo answered, shaking her head. She turned back to Ms. Schmitt. "This is Alex – I mean umm, Dr. Karev. Dr. Karev this is –"

Ms. Schmitt extended her hand. "Liz Schmitt, nice to meet you."

"Oh, so you're Ms. Schmitt." Alex said, shaking her hand. "Jo's told me all about you. It's nice to finally put a face to the name."

Ms. Schmitt smiled at him and then turned back towards the young couple. "Oh, and this is my son, Justin, and his wife, Caroline. And that little darling, that's my granddaughter, Molly."

"It's very nice to meet both of you." Justin said. "We appreciate you coming to check in on our daughter."

"Just doing our job," Jo assured him.

"Molly has an umbilical hernia, correct?" Alex asked, as he and Jo shifted into doctor mode. They walked over to the little girl so they could do the examination.

"Yes," Caroline said. "The doctors said it would go away on its own within the first year, but she's eighteen months old now and it hasn't. I'm worried it might be hurting her."

Alex conducted the physical exam, and the bulge didn't move back into the abdomen when he pushed it. Molly eventually began to cry out.

"Oh, sweetie." Ms. Schmitt said, touching her granddaughter's hair in an attempt to soothe her. "It's okay. Dr. Wilson and Dr. Karev are going to make it all better…"

"She's probably going to need surgery," Jo informed them. "But it's a simple procedure, we'll schedule it for this afternoon. Dr. Karev's done it a thousand times."

"And Dr. Wilson will help me with the procedure," Alex added. "I have complete faith in her." Jo smiled, and Alex gave her hand what was meant to be an undetected squeeze before he left the room.

When Jo turned back, Justin and Caroline were soothing Molly, and Ms. Schmitt was giving her a look. "Hmm," She said.

Jo felt like she might actually be blushing. "Hmm?" She repeated. "Hmm what?"

Ms. Schmitt gave her something like a small smirk. "He's cute," She said. "Obviously way too young for me, but cute, perfect for you. And he helps children for a living – it's been a long time since I've dated, but I know in my generation that would have been an attractive quality. You two seem like a good pair."

Jo sighed. "We are. He…he makes me really happy. Happier than I've ever been."

Ms. Schmitt smiled.

* * *

"Alright, the herniated tissue is back in the abdominal cavity." Alex said. It was that afternoon and they were in the OR finishing up Molly's surgery. "You want to stitch up her abdominal wall?"

Jo nodded. "Sure, of course."

There was a silence as Jo got to work closing the little girl up. "So…you must've been pretty excited to see Ms. Schmitt today."

"Yeah," Jo replied. "I don't know how I would've gotten through high school without her. I was very lucky to have her. She made it bearable."

"I wish I'd had someone like that," Alex said. "I could've used someone like her, someone who believed in me."

"Well, you have me now." Jo said. "And I love you, and I believe in you."

The couple smiled at each other under their surgical masks, and then got back to work.

* * *

Jo stood outside Molly's room after surgery, watching Justin and Caroline stare at their sleeping daughter contentedly. She was going to go home as soon as Alex was ready, but she'd wanted to check up on her patient before she left. "Jo," The young woman turned around at the sound of Ms. Schmitt's voice.

"Hi," She said. "Molly should be waking up soon, if you want to go see her."

Ms. Schmitt walked over to next to Jo, glancing in at her family before turning back to her former student. "I'm really proud of you, Jo. Very proud."

Jo smiled. "Thank you, Ms. Schmitt. That means a lot to me. Thank you."

"Jo," It was Alex who called out to her this time. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," Jo called back. "Just a sec." She turned back to Ms. Schmitt, and hugged her again. "Call me if anything's ever wrong with Molly." She said. "Or just to say hi."

"Okay," Ms. Schmitt said. "But I expect an invite to the wedding." She smiled at Jo, a twinkle in her eye.

Jo smiled at her as she left to go home with Alex. And sure enough, when they did get married, Ms. Schmitt was on the guest list.

* * *

_Probably not my best work but I felt like I needed to post. Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon. Review if you'd like. _


	6. Best Honeymoon Ever: 2015

**April 12th, 2015**

_April showers bring May flowers. _The old saying was the first thing that came to Jo's mind when she looked outside. She looked out at the Grey Sloan Memorial parking lot, where a heavy rain was drenching anything and everything. Thunder boomed in the distance, and lightning lit up the early evening sky. The local news stations were calling it the biggest storm in Seattle since the one she and Alex had gotten together in. Jo recalled being worried about it raining on the day of the wedding when they'd first announced the incoming storm a few days prior. Luckily, it had been clear yesterday and everyone had made it to the ceremony just fine.

Jo smiled, looking down at her wedding and engagement rings as she thought about her new status as a married woman. She turned and walked out of the room, back into the main lobby where Alex was talking to Meredith and Cristina about something work related. "Hey," Meredith said, changing the conversation when Jo walked over. "Aren't the two of you supposed to be catching a flight right now?"

"Not for another…" Alex checked the time. "Hour and a half,"

"An hour and a half?" Meredith repeated. "Seriously? The two of you should've left already! You have to check in, and go through security...What have the two of you been doing all day?"

_Having hot sex._ "…Packing," Jo replied, hoping her lie seemed believable.

"Meredith, we need to talk about Mr. Johnson's –" Bailey was saying, looking at some charts as she walked over. She paused when she saw Alex and Jo. "What are the two of you still doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on your honeymoon?"

"They are," Meredith said. "But they refuse to leave."

"We're just making sure all of your patients will be checked in on while we're away," Jo said to Bailey. "Properly discharged and all that,"

"I assure you," Bailey replied. "All of your patients will be well cared for in your absence. The two of you have to go."

Alex was about to reply when Arizona walked over with Callie. "Oh my God, you guys." She said excitedly, not even noticing Alex and Jo at first. "There is a newborn in the NICU with congenital epulis! Congenital epulis! I swear, if I didn't already have a surgery scheduled tonight, I would be all over that…"

"Wait, so there's a congenital epulis case in the hospital and no one's covering it?" Jo asked.

"Ye-" Arizona began, but she cut herself off when she released who she was now talking to. "What are the two of you still doing here?" She asked Alex and Jo. "You're supposed to be on your honeymoon."

"That's what we keep telling them," Meredith interjected.

"But Mer," Alex said. "It's a newborn with congenital epulis and no one's doing the surgery! You're a surgeon, you know how rare this is!"

"It's eight centimeters!" Arizona added excitedly.

"Did you hear that?" Jo said to Meredith. "It's eight centimeters!"

"I'd just stay and do the surgery," Cristina said, not looking up from her iPad as she spoke to them.

"Just go on the honeymoon, you two," Callie said. "It'll be fun. There'll be other surgeries."

Alex and Jo exchanged a look. Probably no other congenital epulises…

* * *

While Alex and Jo waited at their gate at the airport, neither of them could stop thinking about the congenital epulis. Alex stared blankly at his phone screen, while Jo found herself unable to read her medical journal because she was too busy thinking about it. "…I've never seen a congenital epulis on a newborn before," She said longingly. "Not in person, anyway."

Alex sighed. "Me neither…" The two of them looked at each other. It wasn't that they didn't want to go on the honeymoon…But come on, it was a _congenital epulis_! You did not pass up a congenital epulis. You just didn't. A congenital epulis was practically a pediatric surgeon's dream.

"Attention passengers," The woman at the gate announced over the intercom, inadvertently interrupting them. "Due to the thunderstorms currently over Seattle, this flight is delayed until further notice. We appreciate your patience, thank you." There was an audible groan from several of the passengers, but not from Alex and Jo. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Alex asked.

Jo nodded excitedly and the two of them quickly rose from their seats, practically sprinting towards the exit. Congenital epulis, here they come.

* * *

Jo sighed contently as the two of them walked out of the OR after surgery. "That was amazing…" She said, removing her surgical mask. "Oh my God, so amazing…"

Alex grinned and washed his hands. "Better than sunbathing at any damn beach, that's for sure."

Jo removed her surgical gown and walked over to kiss him. She paused, an idea dawning on her. "I have an idea," She said. "Follow me."

"Umm…okay," Alex said, drying his hands off before Jo dragged him from the room. She took him to a supply closet in the peds wing and shoved him gently inside.

"Why are we in a closet?" Alex asked as Jo shut and locked the door behind them. When he turned around she was already taking her scrub top off.

"You told me you loved me for the first time during a storm, remember?" Jo said, and Alex smiled at the memory. "In this very closet, might I add." She closed the distance between them, and the newlyweds kissed passionately.

"Yup," Alex said, pushing Jo up against the closet door. "This is definitely better than any damn beach."

Jo grinned as Alex began to kiss her neck while she began to work on pulling down his pants. "Best." She panted. "Honeymoon. Ever."

* * *

_Anybody have any requests for the next chapter? _


	7. The First Time: 2013

_This is one of the two prompts from Julia – Alex and Jo having sex for the first time. I wasn't exactly sure what to write at first, but I hope you like it. It is a little sexual, obviously, but it's not even close to M-rated, or anything._

* * *

**June 4th, 2013**

She was not his first, far from it. He'd been with many women, a fact he had once been extremely proud of. He was not her first either – she'd slept with other men, some had been ex-boyfriends who she'd thought had loved her, and some were nights with men she wished she could erase from her memory. But this time…it was like it was their first times, almost.

They'd both been with other people, but now, it was different. Alex had never felt this way about any woman before. Everything Jo did drove him crazy, usually in the good kind of way. He loved how she slightly parted her lips when she kissed him, the softness of her skin under his fingertips, how he could see the curve of her nipples from under her bra. He loved all of it. He loved her.

He pressed a series of kisses down her neck, trailing down to the curve of her spine. Her eyes practically rolled into the back of her head in ecstasy. "God, I love you." She said.

He smiled and kissed her in this one spot on the back of her neck that made her shoulders arch. "I love you too," He murmured into her skin.

Jo had never felt this way about anyone before. Everything Alex did drove her crazy, usually in the good kind of way. She loved his smell – she wasn't sure what it was, body wash, cologne, or just a natural, musky, guy smell, but whatever it was, she loved it. She loved those days when he didn't shave and she could feel his light scruff when he kissed her. She loved how safe she felt when his arms were wrapped around her, and how he still loved her even when she hadn't shaved her legs in days, or there was a zit forming above her eyebrow, or she'd run out of nice underwear. She loved all of it. She loved him.

The thing with Alex was, she knew he would never hurt her like the other men she'd been with had. He wouldn't lay a hand on her like Jason or the ones before him had. He was the first man – no, the first _person,_ period – to really love her, purely and tenderly. She knew he would never intentionally hurt her, and when she was with him she felt safe. She felt protected. She felt loved.

While it had taken him time to realize it, he honestly believed he'd been in love with Jo since the night at Bailey's wedding, maybe even sooner. There was something between them – chemistry, spark, electricity, whatever you wanted to call it – that was undeniable. He swore he'd known since the first moment their lips touched in that closet that they were going to be together forever. This girl was the one for him. There was no denying that.

Jo crumbled under his touch. This thing between them – chemistry, spark, electricity, whatever – was something she was unable to deny. She'd been in love with him long before she'd realized it. Alex was the one. Somehow she already knew that this was it – he was the person she was meant to spend the rest of her life with.

And honestly, neither of them had ever believed in fate, or destiny, or true love – their pasts had prevented them from believing those sorts of things existed. But the moment they met each other…oh, they believed. They made each other believe. This was fate, this was destiny, this was true love. They were supposed to be together. They were made for loving each other, as cheesy as it sounded.

He fell back against the pillows, breathing deeply, and a moment later she joined him there, falling down onto his chest, panting. "Wow," She whispered, mostly to herself, while he kissed every inch of her face.

It was not either of their first times. But it was the first time that it really, really counted.


	8. Family: 2015

_This was a request from Addie9. Hope you enjoy!_

_WARNING: This chapter is so fluffy and happy it may rot your teeth. Viewer discretion is advised._

* * *

**October 2nd, 2015**

Jo Karev hadn't been feeling good lately. She was fatigued. She was getting an occasional headache. Her temperature had risen slightly, and she thought she was getting a fever. She was even feeling slightly dizzy. And sometimes she would suddenly feel nauseous for no specific reason and run off to throw up. To Jo, her symptoms all screamed one thing – the flu. She did _not_ want to be sick, but Jo wasn't going to sit around and complain she felt ill. Hopefully it would pass, and until then she'd drink plenty of fluids, get as much rest as she could and try not to think about it.

Jo looked down at some charts in an attempt to distract herself from her sickness, as she was feeling a little bit queasy again, when Arizona walked over. "Dr. Wilson," – Like most of the other married female doctors, everyone at the hospital still called Jo by her maiden name, because it would be too confusing having two Dr. Karev's – "Can you do me a favor and prepare Emily Kendall for her surgery this afternoon? I'll let you scrub in."

Jo forced a smile and nodded. "Sure,"

Arizona smiled. "Thanks," She said, before walking off to check on her next patient.

"No problem," Jo said. She turned to head to Emily Kendall's room, but then she was overcome with a wave of nausea. She had to throw up, _now_. She took off for the nearest bathroom, emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet.

Jo knew she couldn't muffle through this anymore. She walked to the nearest supply closet so she could get something for her nausea. She rifled around the shelves for some medications, when her hand touched something - pregnancy tests.

She shook her head. She wasn't pregnant. She had the flu. But then again, maybe it would be best to take one just to rule it out. Jo picked up two tests and put them in her pocket, as well as some pills for her nausea, and then headed back to the bathroom.

* * *

Alex poked his head into the locker room, finding Jo standing in front of her locker. "Hey," He said, and she turned her head towards him at the sound of his voice. "About ready?"

"Yeah," Jo said. "Just a sec." Alex nodded, and then ducked back out of the room. Once he was gone, Jo reached up to wipe the remainder of tears from the corners of her eyes, and then reached back into her locker. She picked up the two pregnancy tests, looking at the two sets of pink lines again. Her hand found its way to her stomach. She was pregnant. And Jo was terrified.

What was she going to tell Alex?

* * *

Jo had a hard time paying attention to Alex as he talked. She just couldn't stop thinking about the positive pregnancy tests. It wasn't that she didn't want the baby, it was just so unexpected. They hadn't been trying or anything, they'd been using protection. They hadn't even discussed kids yet. Neither one had been planning on her getting pregnant so soon, at least not until she finished her residency.

Jo had a feeling she knew exactly when it had happened – a few weeks ago, she'd taken a birth control pill late because she'd been in surgery at the time she usually took them, but then she'd ended up practically jumping Alex that night anyway, because he'd just been promoted and she'd wanted to "have sex with her husband, the _attending_". And now she was pregnant. Jo took a bite from her crust and then tossed the rest into the pizza box. Damn her sex drive.

"Jo?" Alex said, and she looked up, wondering how long he'd been saying her name. He looked slightly concerned. "Are you okay?"

Jo was about to assure him she was fine when suddenly she felt…not fine. Alex was about to repeat the question when Jo got up and made a mad dash for the bathroom.

She hunched over the toilet and threw up her dinner, and a few moments later she heard Alex walk in and felt him pull her hair back. God, this was _not_ how she wanted him to find out.

When she was finally finished, Jo sat up and wiped her mouth. When she turned around, Alex was looking at her. "You've been sick for a week now," He said. "You need to go to the doctor."

Jo gulped. It was now or never. She had to tell him. "I don't need to go to the doctor," She said. "I know exactly why I feel sick." Alex was looking at her curiously now, and Jo knew she had to come out and say it. She opened her mouth, and for a moment she just grappled to find the words, before finally closing her eyes tightly and blurting them out. "I'm pregnant."

When she opened her eyes, Alex was staring at her, dumbfounded. He didn't look happy or mad just…shocked. This caused Jo to promptly burst into tears. "Hey," She heard Alex say. She couldn't see his face through her tears, but he sounded slightly calmer now. Of course Jo's tears and out of control pregnancy hormones prevented her from noticing this. "Don't cry."

"How can I _not_ cry?" Jo snapped. "You're shocked, and surprised, and scared, and I get it – I mean, it's not like I planned this or anything. Honestly, I'm terrified. I'm terrified to be a mom. I never had a mother. I don't know how to be one. How am I supposed to raise a child? And we've only been married for five months, we never talked about kids, I'm only a resident, and, and –" She broke off into a series of hiccups and sniffles.

Alex pulled her closer and wiped some of her tears away with his thumb. "It's okay," He said. "It's going to be okay." Jo looked up at him now, her crying slowing down and quieting until only a few, silent tears were still on her face. "I'm scared too, but I love you, and I know we can do it. We have each other. I'm not that punk ass kid anymore, and you're not Hobo Jo who lives in her car."

Jo actually smiled. "Jerk."

Alex smiled too, actually happy to hear her calling him a jerk again. "You will be such an amazing mother, because you are loving, and smart, and one of the strongest people I know, and you will raise our child to be just like you. I know you will have no problem juggling a family and a career. Yeah, we've only been married for five months, but maybe the universe or God or fate or whatever is just…just trying to make it up to us, since we didn't have normal families growing up. Like, the universe is giving us this baby so we can spend the time with it that our parents didn't spend with us. Jo, I will love this baby so much, because it's ours. Hell, I already love it. And I love you. I wouldn't want to have a child with anyone else."

Jo felt tears prick the corners of her eyes, but for an entirely different reason this time, and she threw her arms around his neck. "I love you too." She said. "I love you so much. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone else before."

"Well, I don't know if you can say that anymore," He replied, sliding a hand onto her belly in explanation. Jo smiled when he did so, touched by the sweet action.

"You can be tied." She said, pressing her nose against Alex's, while his hand rested on her stomach.

"So," He said, unable to contain his grin. "We're having a baby."

Jo's face lit up, and happy tears pooled in her eyes. "Oh my God, Alex." She said. "We're having a baby. We're going to be parents. We're going to have a family."

They both smiled and laughed lightly as the statements sunk in, and kissed each other. They were going to be a real family. Soon Alex would be a dad and Jo would be a mom. And their child would be able to grow up without having to listening to fighting parents, or going from foster home to foster home, or feeling abandoned or unwanted. Their baby was going to have one permanent home with a mother and father who would love him or her as much as they loved each other. They would be sure of that.


	9. Marry Me: 2014

_Here's the second prompt from Julia!_

* * *

**September 18th, 2014**

Jo snuggled up against Alex's chest, feeling perfectly content. She could lie there with him in that on call room all night, but she knew eventually they'd have to get up and go back to their jobs. Just hopefully not too soon. "Can we just stay here forever?" She asked him, sounding slightly sleepy since this was the first time she'd laid down since the beginning of her shift. "You're comfy and I haven't fallen asleep next to you in days. Damn surgeon schedule."

"I wish we could, princess," Alex replied, resting his chin on the top of her head.

Jo was about to playfully snap at him for calling her princess, and she turned her head, but when she did it hit some hard and square in the pocket of Alex's scrub top. Curiosity overcame her. "What's that?" She asked.

She felt Alex's whole body stiffen behind her, and Jo knew then something was up. She rolled over and sat up, nervously looking at his expression. Alex gulped. "Nothing." He said.

"Alex," Jo said slowly. "You're scaring me. What's in the box?"

Her boyfriend only looked down nervously, unsure of what to say now. Without thinking, Jo reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small, Tiffany blue box. A small, Tiffany blue, ring box. "Oh my God," She breathed. "Alex…"

Alex sat up slowly, meeting Jo's eyes. "I'm not really good at expressing my feelings, or being particularly romantic. But I'm going to try." He paused, taking the box from Jo's hand, which had practically gone limp from her shock. "Jo, you are…the _best_ thing that has ever happened to me. I don't know how to live without you. I don't know how I ever got through life before you. No – I didn't because I wasn't complete until I met you. You made me whole."

Jo had tears in her eyes by this point. "I've screwed up so many times in my life. I don't want you to be another good thing I let walk away. I don't want to be without you, ever. I want all of you – the good, the bad, all of it. I want all of it forever. You're the one, Jo. And I'm never going to let you go."

Alex opened the box. Inside was a round, one-carat diamond, set delicately into a tapered band of sterling silver. It was simple, it was elegant, and it was beautiful. It was perfect for her. Jo was at a loss for words. "Marry me."

Jo didn't know what to say. She laughed – a small, shocked, happy sound. "Oh my God," She breathed, shaking her head because she still couldn't believe he was proposing. For a moment, Alex worried this was her way of saying 'no', but he was reassured just as quickly. "Yes."

He smiled – no, he grinned. "Yes?"

Jo nodded. "Yes, of course."

Now, Alex laughed lightly too. The love of his life had just agreed to marry him. They kissed, long and passionate. Jo had tears streaming down her cheeks, while Alex was getting a little teary-eyed himself, and rightly so. "I know you're not a get-down-on-one-knee kind of guy," Jo said, smiling. "But you have to at least put the ring on my finger."

Alex grinned and climbed down off the cot, kneeling in front of Jo. His girlfriend – no, his _fiancée_ – sat up and extended her left hand towards him. Alex took her hand and gently slipped the ring onto her left ring finger. It looked perfect there, like that was where it belonged.

Jo used her other hand to wipe the tears off her face, before she grabbed Alex by the collar of his scrub top and kissed him so hard and so passionately she saw stars. "I love you," She said.

"I love you too," Alex said. "And I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

Jo smiled, and he climbed back onto the bed. She rolled over to fast him and they just laid there for a while, hands intertwined. They kissed again, one of the many times they would kiss over the course of the rest of their lives.

They were going to be so happy. They didn't even realize then the full extent.

* * *

_I think I'll take a quick break from the requests next time, because I've been doing the same years over and over. So the next chapter will take place farther in the future - 2024 to be precise. _


	10. Bedtime Stores: 2024

_Like I said, I'm taking a break from the requests this chapter. Here's a little fluffy Karev family one-shot for you all, with a focus on Alex and Jolex baby #2. Enjoy!_

* * *

**September 25th, 2024**

Alex quietly opened the door to the house, trying not to make too much noise as he came inside. It was half past nine on a school night, so he figured his kids were already asleep. All the lights downstairs were off, Jo nowhere in sight. For once, it was quiet in the Karev home, a rare occurrence these days.

He went upstairs, checking in on Zack first. The eight-year old was fast asleep, sprawled out in his bed, his chest slowly rising and falling with each breath he took. Alex smiled and then gently closed the door.

When he entered his daughter's room, he was surprised to see it was empty. Down the hallway, he could see a light on in the master bedroom, and so he went in. Inside, Jo was out cold, snoring not so softly, her nose clearly stuffed up. His daughter was sitting up in bed, her eyes on the TV which was playing _Tangled_.

"What are you doing up, missy?" He asked, and Ellie looked up.

"Sssh," She said to Alex, who walked over and sat on the edge of the bed next to her. "This is my favorite part." A cold had obviously not affected his daughter's Disney princess fixation. On the screen, a now short-haired Rapunzel was crying as she held a dying Flynn in her arms. Ellie sniffled like she actually thought Flynn was dead and didn't know the ending by heart already while Rapunzel finished her healing song. Then, in a typical Disney fashion, one of her tears fell on Flynn's face, and lots of wisps of gold came from his body as he was healed. Then Flynn came back from the dead, and charismatically told Rapunzel he had a thing for brunettes. (Okay, _that_ Alex could appreciate – that guy had game.) Rapunzel kissed him, and everything was happy again.

Next to them, Jo stirred. "Alex?" She murmured sleepily. Her voice was extremely hoarse – a day of tending to their sick daughter had left her ill as well. "God, how long was I out?"

"You missed the whole movie, Mommy." Ellie said, giggling.

Jo smiled weakly at her, rolling onto her side. "I did?" She said. "Well, then I guess we'll have to watch it again this weekend."

Ellie grinned. "Or we could watch it now!"

"Sorry, Els." Alex interjected, scooping her up into his arms. Ellie giggled as he lifted her into the air. "It's way past the bedtime of a sick little girl. Say goodnight to Mommy."

"Night Mommy!" Ellie called over Alex's shoulder as he took her to her room. Jo smiled and waved goodnight.

Alex flicked the light on in Ellie's room and put Ellie down on her bed. The little girl got herself situated under the pink blankets, resting her head on the spot on the pillow where Cinderella's face was. "Can I have a story before I go to bed, Daddy?"

Alex was about to remind Ellie it was an hour and a half past her bedtime, but one look at her pleading, sick face silenced him. How could he say no to her? "Fine," Alex gave in. "One story."

Ellie smiled. "Thank you, Daddy."

"What do you want to hear?" Alex asked, examining his daughter's bookshelf. "Cinderella, Aladdin, The Princess and The Frog…"

"No," Ellie shook her head. "I don't want any of those."

"But you love all those stories!"

"I do," Ellie agreed. "But I wanna hear a new story. Tell me about you and Mommy."

Alex was caught off guard by this request. "What about me and Mommy?"

"Tell me how you guys met."

"Well…" Alex began with a sigh as he laid down on Ellie's bed, thinking of how he could make this story PG for his four year old daughter. "There was…"

"You have to start with once upon a time." Ellie interjected. She took a pause to cough. "Every good story starts with once upon a time."

"Okay," Alex sighed. "So once upon a time, there was a girl named…Princess Jo."

"Mommy," Ellie said with a smile, cuddling up against Alex and resting her head on her daddy's shoulder. "Right?"

"Right," Alex confirmed, smiling at his little girl. "Princess Jo was…smart, strong, beautiful. She still is." Ellie was watching Alex, hanging onto every word. "Then, Princess Jo met…"

"Prince Alex," Ellie interjected.

"Uh-huh, sure," Alex said. "Prince Alex. And…"

"They fell in love," Ellie interrupted again. "Right?"

"Not yet, Els."

Ellie frowned. "But you and Mommy love each other lots!"

"We do," Alex assured her. "We just didn't fall in love right away."

"Then how did you fall in love?" Ellie asked.

"I'm getting there, silly girl." Alex said, tapping her lightly on the nose. Ellie giggled. "Actually, Princess Jo didn't like Prince Alex at first."

Ellie looked at Alex, horrified. "What?" She gasped. Alex gave her a look. "Sorry, Daddy." Ellie said. "Tell me more."

"Well, you see, back then Prince Alex wasn't the kind of man he is today." Alex explained. "Prince Alex, he…he wasn't very nice when you first met him. And he had a reputation in the kingdom for kissing _a lot_ of the queen's ladies in waiting."

"Daddy!" Ellie squealed.

"So, when Princess Jo first met Prince Alex, they didn't really get along." Alex said. "Princess Jo thought he was just another selfish prince. And Prince Alex thought Princess Jo was just another weak princess. But then…there was a ball in the kingdom of Seattle, and everyone at the castle was invited."

"What was the ball for?"

"Well, one of the most well-known women in the kingdom, Lady Bailey, was getting married to a handsome knight named Sir Ben. All of the royals and nobles came to celebrate Lady Bailey's happiness. And at the ball, Princess Jo and Prince Alex had some time to get to know each other better thanks to uh…Jo's fairy godmother Stephanie. And Alex's friend Sir Jackson."

"Did they dance?" Ellie asked. "Belle and the Beast danced. And Belle's the best Disney princess because she's smart. That's what Mommy says. But I think Mommy's better than all the Disney princesses, even Belle."

Alex smiled while Ellie talked about Jo like that. "Uh-huh, sure, they danced." He couldn't tell Ellie that they got drunk and lied to get someone else's room key, anyway. "So, after the night at the ball Princess Jo and Prince Alex became friends."

"Why?"

Alex held back a sigh. Ellie had asked a few times why she didn't have grandparents like all of her friends, but Alex and Jo hadn't told her much, since she was still so young. "Princess Jo and Prince Alex both had not very good childhoods. Princess Jo's mommy and daddy weren't around when she grew up. She had to take care of herself. And Prince Alex's mommy and daddy…" Alex trailed off, thinking about his parents. "Prince Alex's mommy was very sick, and his daddy wasn't a nice man."

Ellie frowned and wrapped her arms around Alex's waist, sensing the shift in the conversation. "I'm sorry about Grandma and Grandpa, Daddy."

Alex kissed her forehead. "It's not your fault, Els. And you know what?"

"What?"

"All the bad things Princess Jo and Prince Alex went through brought them together. They realized just how strong the other was."

"That's good…" Ellie said. "What happened next?"

"Everything was good for the prince and princess for a while. But then, Princess Jo met a mean, mean man named...Lord Jason. Prince Alex didn't like him, but Princess Jo did. She told Prince Alex she was moving into Lord Jason's castle. Prince Alex realized he didn't want Princess Jo to be with Lord Jason, he wanted to be with her."

"You finally realized you loved her?" Ellie asked. "And she realized she didn't love Lord Jason and you two lived happily ever after?"

"Almost, but not yet." Alex said, and Ellie waited eagerly for him to continue. "Prince Alex loved Princess Jo, but he was scared that they wouldn't be together forever. He confided in his friend Lady Cristina –"

"Aunt Cristina?" Ellie asked. "I don't know if she would like being called Lady Cristina. She told me that doctors are better than princesses, 'cause they're smarter and save lives."

Oh, that sounded like Cristina. Of course she told Ellie that. "Whatever, his friend Cristina." Alex said. "You see, Prince Alex had had his heart broken by a lot of other princesses before he met Princess Jo, and he was worried that she wouldn't be able to love him. Then, a huge storm hit the kingdom of Seattle."

Ellie's eyes widened. "What happened?"

"Princess Jo and Prince Alex were both helping out in the Grey Sloan castle to make sure all of the people of the kingdom were safe during the storm." Alex said. "During the storm, Princess Jo realized that Lord Jason was mean and she didn't want to be with him anymore. Prince Alex finally told Princess Jo that he loved her."

"And they lived happily ever after?" Ellie said.

Alex nodded. "And they lived happily ever after. They got married in front of their closest friends in the kingdom. And then, Princess Jo and Prince Alex had two kids, a little girl named Princess Ellie and her big brother Prince Zack. And Princess Ellie would later get a very bad cold and give it to her mother. The end."

Ellie laughed. "That was a good story, Daddy!"

"Thank you, princess." Alex said. He looked at his daughter, and smiled to himself. It was hard to believe that a few years ago she'd been a tiny baby in the NICU, and he'd been worried about if she was going to survive. Now she was healthy and happy, smart, and as beautiful as Jo. "I think its bedtime."

"Do I have to go to bed?" Ellie asked. "I'm not even…" She accidentally cut herself off with a yawn. "Hmm, tired."

"Goodnight," Alex said, getting up and tucking her in. Ellie laid down, accepting a goodnight hug and kiss from Alex. He smiled at his daughter as he turned off her light and walked out of the room.

Alex was about to head back to his room, when he was surprised to see Jo standing right outside the door. "Hey, you should be resting." Jo didn't reply. She was watching him silently, a look on her face that Alex knew meant she'd been listening. "How much did you hear?" He asked.

"All of it." Jo answered, before she added: "Prince Alex."

Alex smiled, looking down, embarrassed. Jo was still staring at him. She was thinking about how much she loved him. She couldn't have hoped for a better husband, and he was amazing with their kids. She was so glad she had him in her life. The couple started off to their room together. "You better not get me sick, Princess Jo." Alex said to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

Jo smiled. "I love you too, Prince Alex."


End file.
